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I've been published in national fitness publications and I'm very knowledgeable about all types of training, even sport specific. Do you need to know what exercises a baseball player does for rotator cuff or swing? How about the best running program to shed pounds, or the best workouts for getting HUGE. So just ask, and I'll tell you how to get off your fat ass and get better looking for the corporate masters of our consumer culture.

I started running in the early morning and doing push ups and sit ups. I even have a bar between the doorposts to do pull ups. I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing but I wanna lose some pounds and get my muscles chiseled.

I'm not a big fan of situps. Put your arm out straight and then flex your bicep - doing that 1,000 times will not help you one bit, the key is resistance. granted, your bodyweight adds a little resistance, but if you want to chisel your abs more, you must add resistance and weight and do a medium amount of reps. 1,000 situps can be replaced by 15 or so weighted crunches. If you want to get a full body workout that has cardio and will tighten almost all your muscles, get an 8 to 12 pound medicine ball and do a circuit workout, and alternate that workout with running.

I also think that 5 - 10 minutes of sprinting replaces the 40 minute cardio sessions. Try this running workout tomorrow morning: wake up, stretch, jog for one minute, spring 200 yards, jog 30 seconds, spring 30 seconds, and then repeat the 30 / 30 jog-spring two more times. It'll take about 6 minutes, but if you do that 4x per week (and survive) you'll be much leaner. Also, your cardio health and endurance will increase. Give it 8 weeks and you'll notice the difference.

As for abs, don't kill yourself with situps. And pushups really target the triceps, almost more than the chest. The medicine ball would be a great investment, and do pushups incline and decline (put your feet on the couch and do pushups) to vary the targeted muscle groups. Ab definition is mostly genetic, and the only way to show off the abs is in the kitchen by having a low fat, balanced and healthy diet. Situps will make them stronger and bigger, but to define them, strip the fat.

Get a medicine ball. Get a core medicine ball workout and devise a few pushup exercises, and use the medicine ball and a physioball (you can get one of those at wal mart for 8.00) to do weighted crunches. Do the sprinting program. Base your diet on this:

Morning: Instant oatmeal

Snack: Yogurt

Lunch: Tuna sandwich, salad

Snack: Pria bar from Powerbar

Dinner: Salad, 8-12 ounces of chicken or beef, side of beans / veggies

Before bed snack: Raisin bran w/ very little skim milk or no milk

Take a multivitamin each day, and curb your cravings with lots of water and a fiber supplement like orangm metamucil.

You can get the powerbars, medicine ball, physioball, some basic groceries for a week, vitamins, and a stopwatch at wal-mart for the price of one or two months and the gym and then you can workout from home. it's what I do in the winter and I'm in pretty decent shape, plus the medicine ball movements help my explosion for softball

Well hang on just a second . . . tuna is an excellent food which is rich in protein and low in calories. Throw a can on some wheat bread and I don't understand how that isn't a healthy lunch food (lay off the mayo or whatever else people put on Tuna, I flavor mine with some lemon). The Pria bar from Powerbar is a balanced snack that is high in fiber and low in sugar; the profile is very attractive. And when I say instant oats, I don't mean the sugar packed packets, I mean the big cardboard tube of oats that you can make plain in the microwave, then flavor them yourself.

There's a ton of different diet plans out there. I don't think that my approach, which is sound, should be judged like this when this is professional advice that's followed by many. Bodybuilders live off of tuna, for one. Between the Atkins, South Beach, low fat, low cal, and high protein diets, it's always hard to have something definitive but this is pretty sound and made it into a magazine, but I guess it's not good enough to make me at least a semi-expert?

Everyone wants huge arms; the fastest way is to work on your tricep, which is 2/3 of your arm bulk. If you beat up your arms everyday with weights, etc, the only thing it'll do is make your arms bigger and make your small shoulders, chest, or back look even smaller and you'll look freakish.

If you work on your big muscles such as back, triceps, and chest, you don't need to spend much time on your biceps, maybe once a week and they'll develop nicely. Symmetry is key when you're working out.

For me, I play sports so I don't like carrying a lot of extra muscle, weight, or losing flexibility, so I go for core exercises and use medicine balls to develop explosive, fast twitch muscle fiber that's lean and efficient. Great for baseball, hockey, and football.

I do know a lot about this stuff, which is actually why I'm disappointed it was moved which kind of undermines any authority I'm trying to establish with this . . . if tuna, oatmeal, and powerbars are "dangerous," I would sure like to see who died from eating that and why it makes me a jackass who's trying to poison people.

Well hang on just a second . . . tuna is an excellent food which is rich in protein and low in calories. Throw a can on some wheat bread and I don't understand how that isn't a healthy lunch food (lay off the mayo or whatever else people put on Tuna, I flavor mine with some lemon). The Pria bar from Powerbar is a balanced snack that is high in fiber and low in sugar; the profile is very attractive. And when I say instant oats, I don't mean the sugar packed packets, I mean the big cardboard tube of oats that you can make plain in the microwave, then flavor them yourself.

There's a ton of different diet plans out there. I don't think that my approach, which is sound, should be judged like this when this is professional advice that's followed by many. Bodybuilders live off of tuna, for one. Between the Atkins, South Beach, low fat, low cal, and high protein diets, it's always hard to have something definitive but this is pretty sound and made it into a magazine, but I guess it's not good enough to make me at least a semi-expert?

Maybe you ran out of steam at the end, but your diet wasn't clear. Now you're clarifying what you meant by instant oatmeal and tuna.

Why would someone eat a nutrition bar instead of an apple and some almonds? Did Pria subsidize your article or something? Why tuna and not salmon or sardines? Why eat 8-12 oz of meat at [I]dinner[/I]? Does this diet apply to everyone? Women, vegetarians? What about fruit? Variety? People that don't shop at wallmart. Please.

Everyone wants huge arms; the fastest way is to work on your tricep, which is 2/3 of your arm bulk. If you beat up your arms everyday with weights, etc, the only thing it'll do is make your arms bigger and make your small shoulders, chest, or back look even smaller and you'll look freakish.

If you work on your big muscles such as back, triceps, and chest, you don't need to spend much time on your biceps, maybe once a week and they'll develop nicely. Symmetry is key when you're working out.

I was just making a post, not writing a book. It would be different for different people; I usually use something like that as a starting point for people because it's easier to pack a bar instead of an apple and almonds. You're exactly right about apples and almonds, and almost any fruit for that matter.

My advice to people who have cravings is centered around almonds - eat one ounce of almonds and drink a glass of water, and wait fifteen minutes and the craving usually goes away because of the fiber content of the almonds.

Personally, I eat fresh fruit in the afternoon. But some people don't have healthfood stores and all they have the Super Walmart and not much time. For those people (and those just starting diets that have trouble making a habit out of eating and snacking healthy) the Pria bar is my recommended health bar, based on the profile and the fact that it tastes the best IN MY OPINION.

For a woman, I would recommend a diet with more iron and folic acid. I still recommend oatmeal in the mornings, yogurt, and you can always change your diet options in the afternoon and evening.

There's too many variables for me to take on in a brief post. I simply mentioned a diet that I felt would be an easy improvement for anyone to make instantly, as the person wanting my advice seemed like someone with no history of diet or exercise.

I also don't like the connotation of the word diet - it seems like a temporary fix to lose weight. I call what I do an eating plan - a plan to eat in order to nourish and maintain. that's what people would strive for.

I take it, Mirka, that you are a bit of a fitness enthusiast yourself?

Age, weight, workout plan, diet outline, and your workout goals . . . supply me with that and I will give you a critique or a big thumbs up.

That goes for anyone. I would love to dish some free advice to a few Cultists and see the progress. I can't do it for everyone, but I don't have a problem doing this for a couple of people. If you're interested, either post or PM me. I stand by my knowledge.

Triceps are easy. Here's two you can do RIGHT NOW. Take something heavy. Hold it above your head, elbows slightly bent. Keeping your elbows still, lower the heavy thing behind your head, then bring it back up to the starting point. Maintain control of the weight at all times and be deliberate and exact in your movements.

Then, do about a dozen "diamond" pushups, which are pushups with your hands very close together, your index fingers and thumbs forming a "diamond" of sorts. Same thing, slow and deliberate, don't lock our elbows out to keep constant stress on your triceps.

You were writing a post that established you as a semi expert, right? And that initial post was way too blase and generic and unhelpful for the average person. If you'd like to try again, I'm all for it. Just don't be telling people top eat 8-12 oz of meat at one meal unless you have a good reason why they should.

Because, yes, I do know quite a bit about nutrition and excercise and I have my eye on you! :)

Then, do about a dozen "diamond" pushups, which are pushups with your hands very close together, your index fingers and thumbs forming a "diamond" of sorts. Same thing, slow and deliberate, don't lock our elbows out to keep constant stress on your triceps.

OK OK, 8 - 12 ounces of meat is a Fred serving . . . I just feel like having the meat at dinnertime creates a smaller chance of snacking later in the evening, and supplies protein a few hours before bedtime.

Deal still stands. If you have a plateau or sticking point, let me know. You might be surprised at my advice.

Just out of curiosity, are you a vegitarian or vegan? Meat portions should be according to bodyweight and mine about be 8 12 ounces. Don't hate on my meat, lol.

And whenever a woman talks about fitness, visions of models dance through my head . . . my day has just improved, as has my mental image of you.

OK OK, 8 - 12 ounces of meat is a Fred serving . . . I just feel like having the meat at dinnertime creates a smaller chance of snacking later in the evening, and supplies protein a few hours before bedtime.

Deal still stands. If you have a plateau or sticking point, let me know. You might be surprised at my advice.

Just out of curiosity, are you a vegitarian or vegan? Meat portions should be according to bodyweight and mine about be 8 12 ounces. Don't hate on my meat, lol.

And whenever a woman talks about fitness, visions of models dance through my head . . . my day has just improved, as has my mental image of you.

Moving the thread back validates me as a proven expert! Oorah!

It doesn't prove anything! It just gives you a chance to prove yourself. ;)

I am not a vegetarian, but eating a 12 oz steak on a regular basis for dinner makes me think heart attack. And I use a big pink medicine ball as a chair at my computer at home, so there.

I've heard Jay Z talk about the man before. The man is out there, and he's looking for backs, that much I'm sure of.

Mirka, do you use a medicine ball for a chair or one of those inflatable physioballs? Replacing chairs with physioballs for computer use or watching TV is an excellent idea, improving posture and actually adding a caloric burn to idle activity.

My other "idle" activity that I recommend is deep, structured breathing which is not only healthy, but can improve your digestive system and make your core stronger. Try this - breath all the way out, then suck in your gut for about six seconds, release, breath deep, repeat. It's nice for a break from work.

I've heard Jay Z talk about the man before. The man is out there, and he's looking for backs, that much I'm sure of.

Mirka, do you use a medicine ball for a chair or one of those inflatable physioballs? Replacing chairs with physioballs for computer use or watching TV is an excellent idea, improving posture and actually adding a caloric burn to idle activity.

My other "idle" activity that I recommend is deep, structured breathing which is not only healthy, but can improve your digestive system and make your core stronger. Try this - breath all the way out, then suck in your gut for about six seconds, release, breath deep, repeat. It's nice for a break from work.

Sorry, I meant one of those inflatable balls. Medicine ball was a brain fart. I have two. One to sit on at the desk and a smaller one for push ups, stretching and ab excercises. I do love those medicine balls though. I use them for doing lunges at the gym. I really do love the new emphasis on balance, flexibility and core strength that's going on now in the fitness world. Finally.

Do you play any sports? Or are you interested in some advanced medicine ball exercises? Core fitness is and has always been at the center of baseball training (umm, the non-steroid guys), such as Brian Roberts from the Orioles who started a program and became an all star this year.

Combine your med ball and physioball for extreme core exercise - do a crunch on the physioball with the medicine ball held behind your head for extra weight and an extra balance challenge.

My favorite medball exercise is done outdoors. I squat with the ball held in front of me, chest high, then jump while using my entire body to launch the ball as high as I can, then either catching or letting it bounce, returning to the ready position, and repeating.

I also like using a heavy medball to make my long walks with my girlfriend into more of a workout, just carrying the thing around or doing some twists while walking is an easy way to add more fitness to an average walk.

No, I don't excercise to train for a particular sport. I used to do cross country in high school and just got hooked on the endorphin high. I work out with a personal trainer 1-2 times a week and take yoga and pilates mat classes to stay in good shape now. So I can eat cheese when I want. And because being fit just feels right.

I recognize the medicine ball excercises you described. My trainer has me squating on these balancing disks while I lift balls above my head and side to side.

What's your take on combat conditioning, such as hindu squats and pushups? I got rid of all my exercise equipment this year because it was a crutch, and when i got tired of the device, i stopped exercising. Now I only do exercises that can be done anywhere with enough space to lay down fully stretched out. So far it's worked great, combined with lots of walking.

Damn, my girlfriend does Pilates and even I can't handle some of that stuff . . . you are indeed on the road to fitness, or already a tight, fit signpost along the way, making people stop and roll down their windows and stare and drool and . . .

What was I saying? Never mind. I'm here to bounce fit-things off of if needed. If you can't tell, I like getting my opinion out there.

I've been eating more and more veggies and mediterranean styled foods, (no mayo, more oil, more cereal based stuff, nearly no bread), and i do about 5 miles uphill on my bycicle every day. I also have this really really light weighs, but my guess is if i do 500 of everything, it'll be even better than less amount of a heavier thing.

But what specific exercises should i do with those really light weighs?

Also, is the bike thing gonna help loads? or should i try something else?\

Give me your sex, weight, estimate your daily food intake, and I see that you exercise . . . tell me how many times a week and exacty what you do.

Then let me know your goals. Give me a few days to write you back, and then give me eight weeks. Deal?

He's in Chile so don't tell him to go to wallmart.

Also, plastic, is it a good idea to ask about this kind of thing on the internet? Your spine condition might mean you should check with your own Dr. about what is appropriate and safe excercise. maybe?

I have a question about nutrition/fitness. How often should active women eat red meat? Women that move around a lot for work and excercise vigorously 4-5 times a week. (6 feet tall and 148 lbs.)

Also, plastic, is it a good idea to ask about this kind of thing on the internet? Your spine condition might mean you should check with your own Dr. about what is appropriate and safe excercise. maybe?

I have a question about nutrition/fitness. How often should active women eat red meat? Women that move around a lot for work and excercise vigorously 4-5 times a week. (6 feet tall and 148 lbs.)

Not really. Doc says it's all cool, and the stuff i cant do will be pretty obvious (aka yoga, that sort of stuff). Other than that, it's actually a plus, because most exercises [u]should[/u] be done with a straight back.

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